The operator of the plane that slid off the runway at Abbotsford International Airport was fined $30,000 last year for repeatedly allowing improperly maintained aircraft to take off.
Transport Canada announced Wednesday that it had suspended Island Express Air’s air operator certificate due to last week’s accident and “contraventions of the Canadian Aviation Regulations.”At least two people were hospitalized last Friday after the California-bound charter plane operated by Island Express Air slid off the runway at YXX while attempting to take off.Island Express Air announced in February that it would be launching daily flights from Qualicum Beach starting Monday, March 5th.Transport Canada issued the following news release Wednesday:“Today, Transport Canada suspended Island Express Air’s Air Operator Certificate. The suspension prohibits the company from providing commercial air services. The department took this action in the interest of public safety due to the airline’s February 23, 2018 accident in Abbotsford, BC and its contraventions of the Canadian Aviation Regulations.“In light of these threats to public safety, Transport Canada will not allow Island Express Air to resume its commercial air service until it proves it can keep its operations consistently compliant with aviation safety regulations… We will continue to monitor Island Express Air’s actions as the company works towards compliance with aviation safety regulations.”Dale Nielsen of Island Express Air told The Abbotsford News Wednesday that the company was working with Transport Canada on addressing the issues, but didn’t have a date on when the airline – which regularly flies between Abbotsford, airports on Vancouver Island, and Boundary Bay – would resume service.Transport Canada’s record of corporate offenders shows that the airline had, on six occasions, “permitted a take-off to be conducted in an aircraft that was in their legal custody and control, which was not maintained in accordance with a maintenance schedule that conforms to the Aircraft Equipment and Maintenance standards.” The incidents cited took place in January and February of 2017.The company had previously been fined $5,000 for allowing an aircraft to take off in 2011 “when it did not meet the requirements of applicable Airworthiness Directives.” And another $5,000 fine was levied in 2016 for allowing a “person to act as a flight crew member in an aircraft when the person had not fulfilled the requirements of the air operator’s ground and flight training program.” That incident took place in May of 2015.Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.pqbnews.com

Island Express Air's president Gerry Visser shows off one of his airline's planes in 2012.

Transport Canada has grounded Island Express Air, the airline who had a small plane crash shortly after takeoff Friday in Abbotsford.Island Express, based in Abbotsford, will be barred from operating as a commercial airline until “it proves it can keep its operations consistently compliant with aviation safety regulations,” Transport Canada said in a statement. “The department took this action in the interest of public safety.”The agency also said the airline had contravened parts of the Canadian Air Regulations, but did not provide details.“Transport Canada takes aviation safety seriously and expects all air operators to fully comply with aviation safety regulations. The department does not hesitate to take action when regulatory non-compliance is identified. We will continue to monitor Island Express Air’s actions as the company works towards compliance with aviation safety regulations. ”In a recorded message on Island Express’s voicemail, the airline said they are “voluntarily suspending all flight operations.” “Our management team is currently working with Transport Canada and the Transportation Safety Board to find out the cause of the incident.”The February 23rd crash involved a Beechcraft B100 King Air, C-GIAE, which was carrying two crew and eight passengers.According to reports from the scene, the plane had climbed to about 300 feet when it apparently lost control and crashed into a raspberry field adjacent to Abbotsford Airport, near Walmsley Avenue and Clearbrook Road.Two people were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.There was snow falling in the area at the time of the plane’s takeoff — about seven centimetres fell during the day, a further 15 cm the next day — but airport general manager Parm Sidhu said after the crash that it was too early to speculate if icy conditions were contributing factors in the accident.According to Island Express’s website, the airline has 10 aircraft and serves Abbotsford, Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo with scheduled flights. They also have provided charter service to destinations around B.C., Canada, and the United States.The airline was fined $5,000 in 2016 by Transport Canada for “for permitting a person to act as a flight crew member in an aircraft when the person had not fulfilled the requirements of the airline’s ground and flight training program.”Original article can be found here ➤ http://vancouversun.com

Editor's note: This story is part of a special section published in the Courier on March 1. The section highlights ten women working in traditionally male-dominated fields across Jefferson and Clear Creek counties.

Erika Armstrong, resident of Conifer, is a pilot. She now works as an aviation professor at Metropolitan State University and does high-level training for corporate pilots.

Despite years in the aviation industry, Erika Armstrong still feels a thrill the moment a plane she is piloting breaks through the clouds and levels off.“It’s indescribable, right? … You get that feeling of speed going over the top of the clouds,” she said.Armstrong, 49, of Conifer, spent years piloting corporate planes and worked with Northwest Airlines, which ultimately became Delta Airlines. Now, she works as an aviation professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver and for a company called Advanced Air Crew Academy, which provides high-level training for corporate pilots.In an industry that remains highly male-dominated — just under 7 percent of all pilots in the United States are female, according to the Federal Aviation Administration — Armstrong hopes to shape perspective and set an example for women interested in aviation.“What I’m trying to do is change perception,” she said. “Last semester, I had 65 students. Only three of them were women. … And of those three women, none of them wanted to be pilots.“When you stop seeing women being interviewed for it, then we know that we made it. It’s no big deal. That’s what I’m striving for.”Likely because she had never seen a female pilot, Armstrong never considered the aviation industry when pondering future careers. But after she got a college job working the front desk at the Flying Cloud Airport in Minnesota, she began to see it as a possibility.Aviation is competitive, and entering the industry requires logging a lot of hours in the air. Armstrong worked with a charter company and then began flying single-engine planes for the American Red Cross before working her way up to the corporate and airline world.Piloting an airplane is physically demanding in a variety of ways.“People don’t realize what a toll it takes,” Armstrong said. “The industry is getting better, but they don’t do a lot of consideration with bodies (and the) circadian rhythm.”Armstrong, for example, often would commute to Detroit from Colorado and then fly three day trips followed by two overnight flights.“Just the pure exhaustion,” she said. “ … You’re in a crash pad, sleeping on the floor. … It’s just that constant input of noise, commotion. It can be exhausting.”Plus, for women interested in motherhood, a job that requires weeks away from home can be difficult.“A lot of women want a family,” said Kathy McCullough, communications chair for the International Society of Women Airline Pilots. “If you can’t have a job that’s going to give you the seniority or the time off … I don’t think they’re going to consider it as a serious career.“(The airlines) have made steps to change it, but I think that is has to be more female friendly in terms of if you have a … child. That’s a big step in getting more women.”For Armstrong, who has two children, it was all about balance, and it was a tremendous help to have a strong partner at home to hold down the fort.Overall, Armstrong said any discrimination she faced from male counterparts would likely have happened anywhere.“Of the people I flew with … 90 percent of them were awesome. They were respectful. They knew I was there just like anybody else,” she said. “That 10 percent that existed were going to exist no matter where you worked or who you are. … You just have to put it in perspective.“I just reminded myself that I really had the power when I walked in because I was used to the ratio. … These guys had never flown with a woman, so I actually put them … off balance.”From her experiences as a pilot, Armstrong wrote a memoir called “A Chick in the Cockpit: My Life Up In the Air.”Through her writing, she hopes to catapult readers into the cockpit with her and show how much fun it is to be a pilot. In her eyes, sharing stories and providing visibility ultimately can help make the industry less male-dominated.“It just takes a couple generations of seeing women up there,” she said.

CORYELL COUNTY, Texas (KWTX) A pilot was injured Wednesday when a small plane crashed on a ranch in Coryell County.The pilot, Paul Seales, 74, walked away from the crash.He was taken to Coryell Memorial Hospital in Gatesville with non-life-threatening injuries, the Department of Public Safety said.The Cessna 172G Skyhawk crashed at around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday after a wing struck a windsock pole as Seales was taking off from a grass strip about seven miles east of Gatesville, witnesses said.An FAA representative was en route to the crash site off County Road 324, the DPS said.Seales is a longtime friend of the owner's of the ranch's owners, Curves CEO Gary Heavin and his wife Diane.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.kwtx.comThe Texas Department of Public Safety said a small aircraft crash-landed at a private airfield off County Road 324 in Coryell County Wednesday afternoon.The pilot, who was the only occupant, was driven by ambulance to a local hospital, DPS said. But, first responders said the pilot's injuries were not life-threatening.The Texas Department of Public Safety said a Cessna 172G Skyhawk crash-landed at a private airfield off County Road 324 in Coryell County Wednesday afternoon.The pilot, who was the only occupant, was driven by ambulance to a local hospital, DPS said. But, first responders said the pilot's injuries were not life-threatening.DPS Sgt. Dave Roberts said his office would secure the scene.Because the scene was on private land, the situation posed no hazards to nearby roads.Coryell County Office of Emergency Management said it was aware of the crash. The Gatesville Police Department said the initial 911 call came in at 1:58 p.m.

The skies are filled with air traffic in the modern era. Whether commercial flight, police helicopters, military drills, or privately owned aircraft, the skies have been dominated by man. However, it was not long ago that the idea of flying machines was laughed upon and thought too ridiculous to accomplish.In October 1999, John Tosh would open the Texas Air Museum; a privately owned, volunteer-run place; open to the public for a $4 admission fee. Located next to Stinson Airfield, at 1234 99th St, Tosh and his team of volunteers have been working to keep the public museum open and inform everyday citizens about the history of aircraft.“San Antonio needed and aviation museum that was open to the public.” John Tosh, the Director of Texas Air Museum stated.Outside, a large metal wearhouse structure stands with a solid steel door with a sign next to the handle: “Buzz the door, then enter.” Upon entering the museum, visitors are greeted and asked to sign in. Pete Jones, a volunteer, offers a warm greeting and supplies them with a detailed layout of what there is to see and where to see it.Massive life-size replicas, from the Wright Brothers first airplanes to retired fighter jets adorn the museum. There is an immense amount of knowledge in the museum, accompanied by a peer into the past. For Tosh, it isn’t just a museum filled with artifacts and replicas, it is about keeping local history alive.“This [San Antonio] is the birthplace of modern aviation,” Tosh stated. “Lt Benjamin Floyd was the first army pilot. He had a lesson with the Wright Brothers here at Fort Sam Houston.”Outside, enormous retired fighter jets rest in trimmed green grass, with ladders leading up to their cockpits where pilots once sat to take these planes of war to the sky. Now visitors take selfies and can even step through the body of a retired Vietnam era helicopter. Deeper into Tosh’s museum lie countless uniforms and helmets from around the world from servicemen and servicewomen alike. All are displayed and labeled with their country of origin and whether or not it was involved in conflict.On display as well, was information on the world’s very first ‘dog fight.’ It would take place in the summer of 1913, during the Mexican Revolution, between two Mexican nationals. Dean I. Lamb flew a Curtiss biplane for the rebels, while Phil Rader flew a Christofferson for Mexico’s federal government. Neither plane had mounted guns, which led the pilots to use their pistols that would leave no one dead and neither plane damaged.The Texas Air museum receives no funds from the city of San Antonio, but this has not kept the 85-year-old John Tosh from keeping its doors open for nearly 20 years. Tosh says that his love for aviation is what keeps him going and it does not look as though he has any intention of stopping. The Texas Air museum operates Tuesday-Saturday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., with an admission fee of four dollars. A small price to pay for more than century of aviation history.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://laprensasa.com

The Wall Street JournalBy Doug CameronUpdated February 28, 2018 6:47 p.m. ETThe Pentagon is pushing to make the F-35 combat jet cheaper and will take over some repair work to prevent the world’s most expensive military program from becoming unaffordable.Lockheed Martin Corp.’s multiyear effort to reduce the plane’s cost has worked, but the military head of the program warned spending on the F-35 could still surpass the Pentagon’s budget for the program by 2021.“The price is coming down, but it’s not coming down fast enough,” Vice Adm. Mat Winter said on Wednesday.Lockheed derives a quarter of its sales from the F-35 program. The Pentagon’s request could dent expectations for Lockheed to win a greater share of the business of maintaining the planes, which is typically more profitable than building aircraft.Adm. Winter has launched a six-month review of labor expenses incurred by Lockheed and partners including Northrop Grumman Corp. and BAE Systems PLC to analyze the plane’s cost structure.Lockheed Martin said in a statement that it was “aggressively” cutting costs and working with the government and suppliers to identify other opportunities.The Pentagon said that taking on some of the F-35 repair work will free companies working on the program to make spare parts that have sometimes run short. Adm. Winter said just over half the fleet of 280 jets is available to fly because of spares shortages and quality issues.The average cost of the F-35A model used by the U.S. Air Force dropped to $94.6 million in the last contract, a 7% decline from the previous deal.Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.wsj.com

http://registry.faa.gov/N72BDLocation: Eagle Lake, TXAccident Number: GAA17CA460Date & Time: 07/29/2017, 1145 CDTRegistration: N72BDAircraft: CESSNA 305Aircraft Damage: SubstantialDefining Event: Loss of control on groundInjuries: 2 NoneFlight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal AnalysisThe pilot in command of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was in the rear seat during the personal flight. The owner of the airplane was in the front seat of the airplane.The pilot in command made an approach to runway 17. He reported that just before the landing gear touched down, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the right. The nose of the airplane turned to the right and the airplane touched down on the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane exited the right side of the runway.The owner of the airplane came on the controls and the airplane struck a runway light, then ground looped to the left.The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and the upper left side of the fuselage just aft of the cabin.The pilot reported that the wind was from 210° at 8 knots.The nearest METAR, 25 miles northeast of the airport, reported that about the time of the accident the wind was from 260° at 6 knots and variable between 230° and 290°. The skies were clear with 9 statute miles of visibility.The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.Per the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot noted that the accident could have been prevented if he had carried more airspeed during the landing to combat the wind conditions. Probable Cause and FindingsThe National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:The pilot's loss of directional control during landing in variable wind conditions.FindingsAircraftDirectional control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)Personnel issuesAircraft control - Pilot (Cause)Environmental issuesVariable wind - Effect on operation (Cause)Runway/taxi/approach light - Contributed to outcomeFactual InformationHistory of FlightApproachOther weather encounterLanding-flare/touchdownLoss of control on ground (Defining event)Landing-landing rollRunway excursionCollision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.Additional Participating Entities:Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Los Angeles, CaliforniaLycoming Engines; Williamsport, PennsylvaniaAviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfInvestigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdmshttp://registry.faa.gov/N186EJAnalysis About 15 minutes after arriving at the airport, the private pilot departed on a local flight. A witness reported that, shortly after takeoff, the engine "sputtered and quit." The airplane appeared to continue climbing straight ahead to an altitude about 200 ft above ground level, then initiated a left turn as if attempting to return to the runway. The airplane reached an approximate 90° angle of bank and the nose dropped before the airplane descended almost vertically to ground contact, consistent with an aerodynamic stall/spin.Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller did not exhibit indications of rotation at the time of impact. The fuel selector was set to the left tank position. Both left and right fuel tanks were breached and devoid of fuel; however, the asphalt surrounding the wreckage was discolored consistent with fuel spillage. The gascolator bowl contained some fuel; however, the carburetor bowl and accelerator pump well were devoid of fuel. Examination of the fuel system revealed no evidence of blockage that would have prevented fuel flow to the engine. The quantity and distribution of fuel on board the airplane at the time of the accident could not be determined; however, the lack of fuel in the carburetor bowl and accelerator pump is consistent with a fuel starvation event. The reason for the fuel starvation could not be determined based on the available information. Following the loss of engine power, the pilot attempted to return to the runway; however, the airplane did not have sufficient altitude to complete the 180° turn. During the turn, the pilot failed to maintain sufficient airspeed, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and entering an aerodynamic stall and spin. Probable Cause and FindingsThe National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence. Also causal was the pilot's decision to return to the runway following the loss of engine power, and his failure to maintain airspeed during the turn, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall/spin. FindingsAircraftFuel - Not specified (Cause)Airspeed - Not attained/maintained (Cause)Angle of attack - Capability exceeded (Cause)Personnel issuesAircraft control - Pilot (Cause)Decision making/judgment - Pilot (Cause)Factual InformationHistory of FlightInitial climbFuel starvation (Defining event)Loss of engine power (total)Loss of control in flight

Location: El Monte, CAAccident Number: WPR17FA152Date & Time: 07/14/2017, 0932 PDTRegistration: N186EJAircraft: JANSEN PAZMANY PL 2Aircraft Damage: SubstantialDefining Event: Fuel starvationInjuries: 1 FatalFlight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal On July 14, 2017, at 0932 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Jansen Pazmany PL-2, N186EJ, impacted the ground following a loss of engine power after takeoff from San Gabriel Valley Airport (EMT), El Monte, California. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to Progenitech, LLC, and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight, which was originating at the time of the accident.According to airport gate entrance records, the pilot arrived at the airport at 0914. Information from the airport control tower indicated that the pilot contacted ground control for a taxi clearance at 0928, and contacted departure control at 0930.A witness reported that he watched the airplane take off; when it was between 50 and 75 ft above the runway, the engine "sputtered and quit." The airplane continued to climb straight ahead for a brief time, then appeared to initiate a left turn back toward the runway at an altitude about 200 ft above ground level. The witness reported that the airplane reached an approximate 90° angle of bank and its nose dropped as it descended almost vertically to ground contact.

Wreckage and Impact InformationCrew Injuries: 1 FatalAircraft Damage: SubstantialPassenger Injuries: N/AAircraft Fire: NoneGround Injuries: N/AAircraft Explosion: NoneTotal Injuries: 1 FatalLatitude, Longitude: 34.086111, -118.034722 (est) The first identified point of contact was a ground scar with debris from the left wing tip and fuel tank. The second ground scar was from the propeller spinner, and exhibited an indentation consistent with a propeller strike. There were no indications of torsional bending of the propeller. The debris path extended along a magnetic heading of 106°. The main wreckage came to rest about 66 ft east of the first point of impact, with all debris contained within about 500 square ft. The fuel selector was set to the left fuel tank position. Fuel was drained from the gascolator; its color and odor was consistent with 100LL aviation fuel. The sample contained no debris or water.Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.The engine remained attached to the damaged engine mounts and there was no evidence of catastrophic malfunction. The top spark plugs were removed and exhibited normal operating signatures when compared to the Champion 'check-a-plug' chart. The rocker covers were removed and the engine crankshaft was rotated by hand; thumb compression was established in proper firing order. In addition, the rockers appeared to move normally. The carburetor was displaced from the engine. The throttle control was attached, and the mixture cable arm was separated consistent with impact. The carburetor bowl was removed and no fuel was present. The float pontoons were intact and did not show evidence of hydrodynamic crushing. In addition, the accelerator pump well was devoid of fuel. The gascolator bowl was removed and about 1 ounce of fuel remained. The fuel selector was removed and air was blown through it; the left fuel tank was selected. Air was blown through the fuel system from the wings to the engine; all fuel lines and fuel tank vents were clear of debris and internal blockages. Air was blown through the fuel line between the fuel pump outlet and the carburetor inlet with no anomalies noted.Although the right and left wing fuel tanks were heavily damaged and contained no fuel, the asphalt surrounding the wreckage was discolored in a manner consistent with fuel spillage.

Medical And Pathological InformationThe Department of the Medical Examiner-Coroner from the County of Los Angeles, California, performed an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was listed as blunt trauma.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed forensic toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot with negative results for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and ethanol. Specimens tested positive for valsartan, a blood pressure medication. According to the FAA, this medication is generally acceptable for use by airmen provided the underlying condition is well-controlled and there are no adverse side effects. Additional InformationA pamphlet published by the FAA Safety Team titled, "Aircraft Control After Engine Failure on Takeoff" stated, "Studies have shown that startle responses during unexpected situations such as a powerplant failure during takeoff or initial climb have contributed to loss of control of aircraft…Research indicates a higher probability of survival if you continue straight ahead following an engine failure after takeoff. Turning back actually requires a turn of greater than 180 degrees after taking into account the turning radius. Making a turn at low altitudes and airspeeds could create a scenario for a stall/spin accident."

NTSB Identification: WPR17FA15214 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Friday, July 14, 2017 in El Monte, CAAircraft: JANSEN PAZMANY PL 2, registration: N186EJInjuries: 1 Fatal.This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.On July 14, 2017, at 0930 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Jansen, Pazmany PL-2, N186EJ, impacted the ground after experiencing a total loss of engine power during the initial climb from the San Gabriel Valley Airport (EMT), El Monte, California. The airplane was registered to Progenitech LLC and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. A witness reported that he observed the airplane taxi and takeoff a few minutes after the pilot had arrived at the airport. Other witnesses reported they watched the airplane takeoff; when it was about 50-75 feet above the runway, the engine sputtered and lost complete power. The airplane continued straight for a brief time, and to some, it appeared as if the airplane was climbing. The airplane made a steep left turn; during which, the airplane's nose dropped to near vertical and it descended to the ground. The airplane has been recovered to a secure location for further examination.